Berck and I were switching out the master brake cylinder on the Miata today and had to run to the auto parts store for a wrap-around wrench. I noticed a pick-up truck parked across the street with its reverse lights on. Inside a man in his twenties or thirties was staring at the daycare center next door to our building. I thought that was weird and wondered what he was up to.

Then I thought I’ve been watching too much Veronica Mars.

When we returned, the pick-up was still there. A couple of Mexicans are putting together a new playground set in the daycare’s back yard. Another Mexican yelled rapidly into his cellphone, pacing around in the daycare’s parking lot near his running car before getting in it and driving away. We went back to filling the new master brake cylinder with brake fluid, when a patrol car pulled into the daycare’s parking lot and parked in one of the empty spaces. A tall, lean policeman with a blond buzzcut approached the Mexicans. They immediately pulled out their wallets and produced cards, which they handed to the officer with ingratiating smiles and hunched shoulders. I thought it was very strange for the Colorado Springs police department to be out looking for illegal immigrant workers. The officer glanced at the cards and started asking the men questions. We were too far away to hear what they were saying. The officer stuck around talking to the guys for quite a while, though I don’t know for how long. I got cold and went inside.

This afternoon I heard an aircraft flying circles over the apartment. I looked out the back sliding glass doors but couldn’t see it. I thought it was strange because although we have lots of little aircraft flying just north of here (all those planes that use Berck’s airport), they don’t fly quite this far south. And besides, it’s Christmas vacation. No one is flying there.

Tonight I heard the airplane again, and went outside to have a look. Out in the open air, I could hear the rotors beating of a helicopter, not a plane. Berck and I decided it was a police helicopter, since it had lots of red lights and was shining a search light. It’s currently flying in a pretty tight circle just to the west of us, aiming its search light in the center of the circle the whole time.

I’ve searched all the local news websites, and I can’t find any information about any of this. Are they searching for someone? A Mexican? Right near our house!

I made sure the door and front window are locked.